Apparatus for generating electricity utilizing nondestructive interference of energy

• US 8,093,869 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chava Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Chava Energy LLC
• Inventors: Gunderson, Graham A
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, Burton
• Application Number:
  US12/327,719
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 310/26, 310/311, 310/328, 310/323.01, 322/3, 367/153, 367/168
• US Class Current: 322/3
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/06 with moving flux distributors, and both coil systems and magnets stationary

Abstract

A ferromagnetic material having non-zero magnetoelasticity, and/or nonzero magnetostriction is driven with vibratory mechanical energy at a frequency producing at least one resonant vibratory mode, by coupling a source of vibratory energy to the ferromagnetic structure. The ferromagnetic material threads at least one conductive wire or wire coil, and couples to at least one source of magnetic induction, and provides an electrical power output driven by the magnetic induction. The origin of vibratory energy and the site or sites of magnetic induction are situated at distinct locations, separated by a specific distance not less than ⅛ the fundamental acoustic wavelength. Various combinations of acoustic wavelength, ferromagnetic material type, and source of vibration produce independent transfer coefficients between acoustic and electromagnetic energy which are either positive, zero, or negative.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating electrical power, comprising:

at least one section of magnetically polarizable material,

a source of mechanical vibration acoustically coupled to the magnetically polarizable material being capable of producing acoustic excitation within the magnetically polarizable material,

at least one source of magneto-motive force coupled to the magnetically polarizable material being capable of producing magnetic polarization of the magnetically polarizable material,

one or more electrical conductors encircling the magnetically polarizable material, each comprise a plurality of conductive elements inductively coupled to the magnetically polarizable material wherein each separate inductive element is separated from the next by a distance not less than ⅛

the acoustical wavelength of the lowest-order resonant mode of the acoustic oscillation in the apparatus, for purposes of extracting electrical energy and providing an electrical power output,

a physical separation between the source of mechanical vibration and the nearest electrical conductor corresponding to a distance not less than ⅛

the acoustical wavelength of the lowest-order resonant mode of acoustic oscillation in the apparatus; and

an electrical load, being in direct electrical communication with the electrical power output, having a nonlinear time-changing resistance, by including semiconductor switching elements for purposes of periodically modulating the current.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are wires.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are wire coils.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material exhibits nonzero magneto-elastic coupling properties.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material exhibits nonzero magneto-strictive coupling properties.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material is a ferromagnetic amorphous alloy.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ferromagnetic amorphous alloy is an alloy type selected from the group consisting of 2605SA1 and 2605SC.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material is formed from a low-coercive force ferromagnetic material selected from the group consisting of Manganese Ferrite, Zinc Ferrite, Nickel Ferrite, Hematite, Samarium Ferrite, Cobalt Ferrite, Lithium Ferrite, Aluminum Ferrite, and Lanthanum Ferrite.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material is formed from a high-coercive force ferromagnetic material selected from the group consisting of Barium Ferrite, Calcium Ferrite, Strontium Ferrite, and Lead Ferrite.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material is formed from metals selected from the group consisting of Iron, Aluminum, and Gallium.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetically polarizable material is formed from an iron-containing polycrystalline alloy, said alloy incorporating elements selected from the group consisting of transition elements and lanthanide elements.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source of mechanical vibration is formed from a piezoelectric ceramic mechanically coupled to the magnetically polarizable material.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the source of mechanical vibration has acoustic wave sections and displacement multipliers forming an acoustic resonator structure.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the source of mechanical vibration is an electromagnetic vibrating actuator proximate to the magnetically polarizable material and imparting mechanical vibration to the magnetically polarizable material.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the originating source of mechanical vibration is self-contained in the magnetically polarizable material, said vibration being produced by the action of time-varying magnetic flux on the magnetostrictive properties of the magnetically polarizable material.

16. The apparatus set forth according to claim 1, wherein the conductive elements are constructed of insulated metal strip.

17. The apparatus set forth according to claim 16, wherein the insulated metal strip is insulated copper foil.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical load further comprises a passive electrical reactance element as a means of neutralizing the inductive reactance of the conductive circuit paths.